The players won't be the only ones looking to score when the World Cup kicks off on June 11 across 16 cities in three countries. Held this year in Canada, Mexico and the U.S., the quadrennial soccer tournament is expected to become one of the biggest gambling events of all time.

Bookies.com predicts Americans will wager $3.1 billion on World Cup games through online sports betting, which is legal in dozens of states. Prediction markets such as Kalshi and Polymarket are projected to handle another $2.4 billion in bets, according to the forecast from the online sports betting site. 

"Prediction markets that have been around for a long time, but they didn't start taking sports trades until last year," said Bill Speros, a sports betting analyst for Bookies.com. "So you're going to see Kalshi and Polymarket probably do a significant number on this."

Americans legally bet $1.8 billion on the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, roughly the same amount they wagered on the 2026 Super Bowl. 

A recent PwC survey found that 58% of Americans plan to bet on the World Cup. These bets could be through an online betting service, prediction market, fantasy sports contest, or informal wagers with friends and family. 

About a third of those planning to put their money down say they plan to wager at least $250, according to PwC, which based its findings on a poll of more than 2,000 adults in April.

Biggest World Cup field

The sheer scale of the World Cup also explains the surge in betting. For the first time, this year's event will bring together 48 teams, up from 32 in 2022, and feature 104 matches.  

In North America, more matches will be played in prime time, which should also fuel engagement, according to John Ewing, a public relations executive at BetMGM, an online sports betting company.

"That will be easier for fans to watch and wager during the games," he said, noting that the time difference between the U.S. and Qatar, where the tournament was held four years ago, made it harder for Americans to place bets. 

The U.S. team making it out of the group stage, the opening round of the tournament, would likely drive even more betting, Ewing added. "People tend to wager on their favorite teams, or in this case, they tend to be patriotic and support the Americans."

Seven new states have approved sports betting since the 2022 World Cup, according to Bookies.com. And some states are looking to cash in. For instance, lawmakers in New Jersey, which is hosting a number of matches, recently introduced a bill that would add a 10% surcharge on World Cup wagers.